London, UNIVERSITY OF. This title was
originally assumed by the non-sectarian institution
afterwards known as University College, London,
the fine building of which, situated in Gower
Street, W.C., was opened in the autumn of 1828.
The functions of the college were confined to teach-
ing; but in 1834 its promoters applied to the
government of the day for power to grant degrees.
Meanwhile, King's College (q.v.) had been founded
by adherents of the Church of England; and it
seemed not improbable that other colleges of
similar character would be (as indeed they were)
established. If, therefore, the degree-giving power
had been accorded to University College, there
would have been no excuse for refusing it to King's
and other colleges. Hence, to avoid the multipli-
cation of little universities, the government re-
solved to institute a body which should examine,
but not teach, leaving the colleges to teach, but
not examine—at least, not for degrees. A charter
constituting such a body (the University of London)
was issued by the crown on November 28, 1836,
and this charter was up to that of 1863 (valid till
1900) followed by four others, as well as by two or
three supplemental charters, varying the consti-
tution or extending the powers of the university.
For the first twenty-two years of its existence the university comprised (a) the governing body, or senate, made up of a Chancellor, a Vice-chancellor, and thirty-six 'Fellows;' and (b) the affiliated colleges and medical schools. At first University and King's were the only affiliated colleges; but in twenty years the number of the arts colleges had grown to about fifty, and of the medical schools to nearly twice as many; and of each class only a small minority were in London. Almost a revolution in the university was effected by the charter of 1858 (of which the charter, dated 1863, and in force till 1900, was an amended form). Previously candidates for degrees in arts, although they might matriculate from anywhere, had been required to produce a certificate of two years' study at an affiliated college; but now this requirement was abolished, and candidates might acquire their knowledge when, where, and as they chose. The requirements from medical candidates, however, were not relaxed, and indeed were subsequently made more stringent. The same charter also introduced the graduate body, under the title of 'convocation,' into the constitution; and all masters of arts, all doctors, and all bachelors of a certain standing, upon payment of a trifling fee, became members of convocation. This body became the parliamentary constituency. Again, this charter instituted the Science faculty; and it took away from the fellows the power (which some of them had exercised) of acting as examiners. The chief organic changes between 1858 and 1899 were the institution of degrees in music and the opening of the university to women. The latter change was a gradual process; at first women were admitted to a series of special examinations under a supplemental charter of 1867; but under a later supplemental charter (1878) all the examinations and degrees, and all the exhibitions, scholarships, prizes, and medals were thrown open to them upon precisely the same conditions as to men. The field covered by the operations of the university may be described as imperial rather than local. Its charter declares it to have been founded for the benefit of all classes and denominations of Her Majesty's faithful subjects, without any distinction whatsoever, both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In conformity with the character thus professed, certain examinations were to be held at numerous provincial centres in Great Britain and at a few colonial centres. But the university itself originated none of these; they were instituted only upon the application of recognised authorities at the several centres.
This very feature, however, and the detachment of the university from the once affiliated colleges, were the immediate cause of a lively agitation for a 'Teaching University' for London, which sprang up in 1884, and led to negotiations which in 1900 issued in the reconstitution of the university. The senate in 1887 made some concessions, but rejected the claim of the colleges to be represented at its own board. University and King's Colleges, in combination, thereupon petitioned the Privy-council for a university charter of their own; while the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, also in combination, petitioned for the power of granting degrees in medicine only. To investigate the merits of the points at issue, a Royal Commission was appointed in the spring of 1888. The report of the commission, issued in May 1889, propounded a scheme for the reorganisation of the university which offered harsher terms to the senate than those that were rejected in 1887, without, however, satisfying the two great London colleges. The senate therefore reopened negotiations with these colleges, and offered still more extensive concessions than those prescribed by the commission. The University of London Act of 1898 made pro- vision for its reconstitution as a teaching body, and for the appointment of a commission, whose statutes for the reorganisation and regulation of the university received the royal sanction in 1900. The senate now consists of a chancellor, a chairman of convocation, and fifty-four persons nominated by the crown, by convocation, by University College, King's College, the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, Lincoln's and Gray's Inns, and the Inner and Middle Temples, by the Incorporated Law Society, and the Guilds Institute. Convocation consists of the chancellor, the vice-chancellor, all members of the three standing committees of the senate not already on convocation, and the registered graduates. Members of convocation, not being women or otherwise disqualified, constitute the parliamentary constituency (4000 in number). Instead of four there are now eight faculties—Theology, Arts, Laws, Music, Medicine, Science, Engineering, and Economics and Political Science. The faculties consist of university teachers, nominated by the Royal Commission, appointed by the university, and admitted by the senate. The schools of the university in 1900 were in the several faculties, or in one or more faculties: University College and King's College, in London, for all the faculties; Hackney College, New College (Hampstead), Regent's Park College, Cheshunt College, the Richmond Wesleyan College, and the London College of Divinity in theology; Holloway College and Bedford College in arts and science; the Royal College of Science in its one faculty; the South-eastern College of Agriculture at Wye; the medical schools of St Bartholomew's, the London, Guy's, St Thomas's, St George's, the Middlesex, St Mary's, Charing Cross, and Westminster Hospitals, and the London School of Medicine, for women; the Central Technical College of the City and Guilds of London Institute in engineering; the London School of Economics and Political Science in that faculty. The Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music were not willing to become a school of the university save on inadmissible conditions; the commissioners therefore excluded also Trinity College and the Guild Hall School of Music, but recognised teachers of the three first-mentioned institutes as teachers of the university. They regretted that, guided by the Gresham Commission, they felt precluded from recognising the training colleges of London and its neighbourhood, as giving too much prominence to elementary teaching and to training for elementary teaching. Boards of studies consisting of teachers of the university and others are appointed by the senate to deal with groups of subjects. Thirty-two boards were provided for. The series of examinations for both sexes begins with matriculation, from which there is no exemption. Numerous exhibitions and other prizes are open to competition among honours candidates at many of the examinations. The regulations for these examinations and all bylaws are laid down by the senate, often upon the recommendation of colleges, examiners, or convocation; but no such rules are valid until they have been approved by the Home Secretary.
The growth of the university, at least in point of numbers, was rapid, especially after 1858. In 1838 there were 23 candidates for matriculation, of whom 22 passed; in 1858 there were 299 candidates, of whom 249 passed; in 1895 there were 3420 candidates, of whom 1710 passed; and the increase in the higher examinations has been on a similar scale. For the first thirty years the university had no fixed abode; but in 1868 the government ordered the erection of a new building, specially for it, in Burlington Gardens, W.; this was completed, opened by the Queen, and occupied in 1870. In 1900 arrangements were made and sanctioned by the Treasury for housing the newly reorganised university in parts of the buildings of the Imperial Institute at South Kensington. As the university was the child of the government of 1836, both that and succeeding governments recognised the duty of supporting it; and year by year an estimate of expenses has been laid before parliament, and covered by a vote. On the other hand, all the receipts from fees have been claimed by the Exchequer; but up to the year 1876 these scarcely equalled a third of the total cost of the university. Owing, however, to the increase in the number of candidates, the fees received in 1889 (nearly £15,000) more than covered the whole vote for working expenses, leaving the Treasury chargeable with the costs of the building, stationery, &c., altogether equal to perhaps another £8000. The grant in 1899-1900 was £18,840.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, at the time of the reconstitution of the university, had in its faculties of arts and laws, and of science, forty-four professorships, and in that of medicine twenty more. Its governing bodies, under president and vice-president, are a council and a senate—the latter comprising all the professors. King's College (q.v.) is the subject of a separate article.
On the reconstituted university see besides the Calendar, the reports of the Commission, and the statutes, Professor Karl Pearson's The New University of London (1893), discussing the various schemes till then proposed.